Automobile door latch structure



Feb. 27,11940. w, RlGl-{TMYER 2,192,105A

AUTOMOBILE DooR LATCH STRUCTURE Filed D60. 21, 1936 FIERE. l FTE-.1-

gmc/Wto@ mph@ (lili Patented Feb. 27, 1940.

Holden vW. Rightmyer, Toledo, Ohio, as'signorto- 'e The American Swiss Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio l Application rmemba'l 21,- 1936,u serial No. 116.1525* .2 claims. (o1. 29g- 169)` This invention relates to .door latches particularlylfor automobiles yand an object is to produce a latch of this character which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, reliable in operation, and has the new and improved features of construction hereinafter described.

One embodiment yof the invention is shown for purposes of illustration, on the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a door latch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front edge view of the latch shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a side edge view of the latch;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of a portion of the latch showingthe relation between the latch bolt, roll back and clogging slide;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the latch bolt, a portion of the bolt nose being broken away; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a door latch having a case plate I9 provided at its front edge with an outwardly extending fiange II through which the nose of the latch bolt I2 extends. The latch bolt is generally of Z shape and consists of an upper horizontal portion I3 which includes a bolt nose I4 secured by rivets I5 to a bolt plate I6. Integral with the horizontal upper portion I3 is a downwardly extending or vertical portion I'l which extends inwardly to abut closely against the case plate I9'. Integral with the portion I1 and extending rearwardly therefrom substantially in parallel relation to the upper horizontal portion I3 is a lower horizontal portion I8, the rear end of which, when the latch bolt is in latching position, is substantially ush with the rear edge of the case plate I0. lFor retractingthe latch bolt from the outside of the door is a roll back I9 having an arm 20 engageable with a shoulder 2l on the vertical portion Il .of the latch bolt. The roll back I9 is disposed close to the case plate flange Il and is provided with `a square opening 22 to receive the 45 handle shank l(not shown). Extending rearward- 50 movement of the finger.

ly from the roll back I9 .is a finger 23 which is integral with and moves with the roll back and is disposed beneath an embossed portion 24 of the bolt plate, thereby to enable free rocking On the other side of the roll back away from the retracting finger 20 is 'a finger 25 which is adapted to be blocked by a slide 26 actuated by an eccentric cam 21 which has a square opening 28 to receive a suitable op- 55 erating shaft usually operated by a key controlled cylinder 106k (not shown) The slide 26 and as-ky .L

sociated Vparts vare :carried by. a suitable mounting plate 29.

Disposed between the horizontal portion I8 of the latch bolt' andthe case plate I is a clogging slide 3l), the rear end of which extends outward- 1y from the case plate I0 and is adapted to be operated by a suitable remote` control mechanism `actuated from the inside of the .door as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art. The forward end-of `the slide Sil-is provided with a nose .or cutout portion 3l to lit beneath the finger-.23 when the slide is moved forwardly,

thereby to prevent rocking or turning movements of the roll back I9. The slide 30 is provided with a horizontal elongate slot 32 into which projects a tongue 34 integral with the horizontal portion I3 of `the latch bolt, thereby affording the lost motion necessary to move the slide 30 forwardly into yroll back blocking position. The slide 39 is slidable on a pair of parallel laterally spaced elongate raised vportions or ridges 36 integral with the case plate ill, thereby to reduce the frictional engagement between the slide and case plate as much as possible. Interposed between the lower horizontal portion I8 of the latch bolt and the slide 30 and providing spacers therebetween are buttons 3l, `two rows being provided in parallelw 39 is thus designed to fit over these two parts and snugly embraces them to hold them in their properl relation. The cover plate has opposite depending side walls ill and onthe lower side are tongues H2 which extend through apertures in the case plate I0 and are bent outwardly against the under side of the -case plate,` substantially. as shown. -A tongue 43 on theupper side of the cover plate similarly extends through an aperture in the case plate and is bent outwardly against the rear face thereof. It will be observed that a spiral spring 44 has one end anchored to the case plate and the opposite end engages the rear end of the bolt nose I4 for normally urging the latch bolt to latching position.

A cardinal feature of this invention resides in the features of construction and arrangement of the door latchparticularly with a view of providing a very inexpensive structure which can be easily manufactured and assembled on a commercial or production basis. An important kfeature is the utilization of a single cover plate which serves for both the roll back I9, the dogging slide 30 and the latch bolt. It will be observed that a substantially straight narrow cover plate can be utilized and this serves not only to hold the parts in their proper relation but also to a large extent serves as a guide for the latch bolt. f

Changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected withoutl departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle door latch, a case plate, a spring tensioned substantially Z-shaped Vlatch bolt, a roll back for retracting said bolt disposed directly in advance of the lower horizontal portion of the bolt, anger .rotatable with said roll backy a raised portion 'on said .bolt overlying said finger and shaped to enable rocking movements thereof, v a dogging slide between said horizontal portion of the bolt and said case plate andV adapted when in one position to block movement of said finger, and a single cover plate fitting over saidy tensioned substantially Z-shaped latchrbolt, a.

roll back for retracting said bolt disposed adjacent the lower horizontal portion of the bolt, a'-

nger rotatable with said roll back, a clogging slide between said horizontal portion of the bolt and said case plate and adapted when in one position to block movement of said finger, and a v single cover plate fitting over said roll back and said horizontal portion of the bolt secured to said case plate and providing a guide for movement of said bolt. y

vHOLDEN WQRIGHTMYER.. 

